Wearing Seat Belts Research Articles

Ethical Challenges in Geriatric Psychiatry.

Ethical Challenges in Geriatric Psychiatry.

Socioeconomic and cultural characterization of drivers who do not wear seatbelts in spain: through social networks study

El objetivo principal del presente articulo es profundizar en las caracteristicas socioeconomicas y culturales de los usuarios de carreteras con mayor prevalencia en el no uso del cinturon de seguridad. Para ello desarrollamos una metodologia de trabajo capaz de combinar y complementar los datos obtenidos a partir de un cuestionario online administrado en Facebook, y nuevos datos procedentes de las redes sociales, en concreto, los «Me gusta» del perfil de Facebook de los usuarios que cumplimentaron el cuestionario. Los resultados muestran un perfil de riesgo alto que incluye hombres y mujeres con edades comprendidas entre los 36 y 47 anos, y hombres y mujeres entre los 18 y 29 anos, principalmente conductores de automoviles y en menor medida de furgonetas, con niveles educativos medios-altos, residentes en pequenas ciudades o poblaciones rurales.

An educational intervention in road safety among children and teenagers in Mexico

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of this article is to describe a public school–based educational intervention (EI) designed to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change practices related to road safety.Methods: We used a mixed-methods evaluation of a road traffic safety baseline diagnosis conducted in 4 public schools, 2 primary and 2 secondary. Research was organized into 4 phases: (1) diagnosis, (2) EI design, (3) implementation, and (4) evaluation. We used convenience sampling (n = 219 students) across schools and applied a pre-/posttest design based on quantitative and qualitative data. The former related to surveys on road safety experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and practice and the latter to observation checklists, community mapping, ethnography, and focus groups. To compare pre–post scores, we used multilevel mixed-effect ordinal logistic regressions. We developed data matrices, field notes, and systematized community mapping. We also transcribed focus group discussions, generated categories, and carried out thematic analysis.Results: Ethnography indicated poor sidewalk conditions, no helmet or seat belt use, overcrowded public transportation, and no traffic lights or proper signals. Pedestrians did not use sidewalks and crossed streets unsafely. Subsequent to the intervention, however, the study population showed significant changes in their knowledge, practices, and attitudes. They identified road traffic incidents (RTIs) as the first cause of death among children and youth, and most understood that the solution to the problem was incumbent upon each and every individual. They also displayed increased perceptions of danger in practices such as traveling on overcrowded public transportation, failing to wear seat belts in cars and helmets on motorcycles, crossing the street while using mobile phones or playing with friends, and riding with drunk drivers. Changes varied according to gender, and students reported being able to carry out safe practices only when they were in control of the situation; for instance, as pedestrians.Conclusions: Because safe practices depend not only on children and youth but on the adults and social environment surrounding them, it is essential to engage parents, teachers, and decision makers in efforts to reduce RTIs. This will improve the establishment of commitments to impact social reality through consistent changes and mobilize greater resources for creating more secure communities in matters of road safety.

Serious injury prediction algorithm based on large-scale data and under-triage control

The present study was undertaken to construct an algorithm for an advanced automatic collision notification system based on national traffic accident data compiled by Japanese police. While US research into the development of a serious-injury prediction algorithm is based on a logistic regression algorithm using the National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System, the present injury prediction algorithm was based on comprehensive police data covering all accidents that occurred across Japan. The particular focus of this research is to improve the rescue of injured vehicle occupants in traffic accidents, and the present algorithm assumes the use of an onboard event data recorder data from which risk factors such as pseudo delta-V, vehicle impact location, seatbelt wearing or non-wearing, involvement in a single impact or multiple impact crash and the occupant’s age can be derived. As a result, a simple and handy algorithm suited for onboard vehicle installation was constructed from a sample of half of the available police data. The other half of the police data was applied to the validation testing of this new algorithm using receiver operating characteristic analysis. An additional validation was conducted using in-depth investigation of accident injuries in collaboration with prospective host emergency care institutes. The validated algorithm, named the TOYOTA-Nihon University algorithm, proved to be as useful as the US URGENCY and other existing algorithms. Furthermore, an under-triage control analysis found that the present algorithm could achieve an under-triage rate of less than 10% by setting a threshold of 8.3%.

Who is in control of road safety? A STAMP control structure analysis of the road transport system in Queensland, Australia

Despite significant progress, road trauma continues to represent a global safety issue. In Queensland (Qld), Australia, there is currently a focus on preventing the ‘fatal five’ behaviours underpinning road trauma (drug and drink driving, distraction, seat belt wearing, speeding, and fatigue), along with an emphasis on a shared responsibility for road safety that spans road users, vehicle manufacturers, designers, policy makers etc. The aim of this article is to clarify who shares the responsibility for road safety in Qld and to determine what control measures are enacted to prevent the fatal five behaviours. This is achieved through the presentation of a control structure model that depicts the actors and organisations within the Qld road transport system along with the control and feedback relationships that exist between them. Validated through a Delphi study, the model shows a diverse set of actors and organisations who share the responsibility for road safety that goes beyond those discussed in road safety policies and strategies. The analysis also shows that, compared to other safety critical domains, there are less formal control structures in road transport and that opportunities exist to add new controls and strengthen existing ones. Relationships that influence rather than control are also prominent. Finally, when compared to other safety critical domains, the strength of road safety controls is brought into question.

Road Safety Education in the Context of the Sustainable Development of Society: The Romanian Case

The increased number of road accidents, leading to deaths and serious injuries is a social problem facing most of the world countries, which can affect the sustainable development of a society. This has economic implications, because it impacts the increase of expenditure on hospitalization and the recovery costs of those injured. The current article is based on a quantitative research, coordinated by the authors, conducted among traffic participants from Romania. The major objective of the study was to quantify the main aspects of seatbelt wearing behavior. The research was carried out at national level and used a systematic probabilistic sampling. The sample contains 4346 subjects, of which 3120 were from the automobile section, representing the topic of this article, and being representative of the Romanian adult population. The main research results showed that the percentage of women always wearing seatbelts (76.4%) is higher than the percentage of men (69.9%). Additionally, the highest percentage of people always wearing seatbelts is found at the age group over 55 years (85.2%). The percentage decreases with age—the age group 18–25 are the least likely to wear seatbelts.

Seat Belt Use and its Effect on Abdominal Trauma: A National Trauma Databank Study

We sought to use the National Trauma Databank to determine the demographics, injury distribution, associated abdominal injuries, and outcomes of those patients who are restrained versus unrestrained. All victims of motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) were identified from the National Trauma Databank and stratified into subpopulations depending on the use of seat belts. A total of 150,161 MVC victims were included in this study, 72,394 (48%) were belted. Young, male passengers were the least likely to be wearing a seat belt. Restrained victims were less likely to have severe injury as measured by Injury Severity Score and Abbreviated Injury Score. Restrained victims were also less likely to suffer solid organ injuries (9.7% vs 12%, P < 0.001), but more likely to have hollow viscous injuries (1.9% vs 1.3%, P < 0.001). The hospital and intensive care unit length of stay were significantly shorter in belted victims with adjusted mean difference: -1.36 (-1.45, -1.27) and -0.96 (-1.02, -0.90), respectively. Seat belt use was associated with a significantly lower crude mortality than unrestrained victims (1.9% vs 3.3%, P < 0.001), and after adjusting for differences in age, gender, position in vehicle, and deployment of air bags, the protective effect remained (adjusted odds ratio for mortality 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.47, 0.54). In conclusion, MVC victims wearing seat belts have a significant reduction in the severity of injuries in all body areas, lower mortality, a shorter hospital stay, and decreased length of stay in the intensive care unit. The nature of abdominal injuries, however, was significantly different, with a higher incidence of hollow viscous injury in those wearing seat belts.

An Ethical Response to Mass Shootings

An Ethical Response to Mass Shootings

Attitudes and behaviors towards risky driving among adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

Background and ObjectivesThe main objective of the paper is to investigate perceptions and attitudes of school youth concerning risky driving behaviors (i.e.: Tafheet) in Saudi Arabia.Design and SettingThis was a school-based cross-sectional study of adolescents in Riyadh that employed a multistage probability sampling scheme.Subjects and MethodsThe self-administered survey included questions adapted from the school-based studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. The survey inquired about adolescents' behaviors and attitudes toward driving, perceptions of school and family, and leisure time activities.ResultsNearly 40% of the students surveyed reported engaging in the risky driving behavior called Tafheet. Fifty-one percent of those who engage in dangerous activities also reported engaging in Tafheet. A higher proportion (70%) among those who believe Tafheet is a talent or a cool activity also engaged in Tafheet. Multivariate analyses indicate that students who are willing to engage in dangerous activities even when they are known to be dangerous (OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.55–4.72), those who think there is no harm in not wearing seat belts are at higher speeds (OR = 2.77; 95% CI = 1.24–6.21), and those who use a mobile telephone while driving are nearly three times (OR = 2.96; 95% CI = 1.41–6.23) at risk for engaging in Tafheet. Lack of respect towards traffic laws is also a risk factor.ConclusionOur study unequivocally points to pro-attitudes and behavior including a daring personality, not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile telephone while driving are significant factors associated with risky driving activity. Our study calls for a strategic intervention plan to change the culture of risky driving through a structured and stringent driving curriculum in school settings. A curriculum of this nature is currently non-existent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Multilevel and multifaceted interventions may hold great promise in reducing unintended motor vehicle injuries and changing the culture as a whole.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Drivers in Trinidad, West Indies

Few studies have been conducted on the incidence and factors which contribute to road traffic collisions in Trinidad. In order to fill this gap in knowledge, we conducted knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) study among drivers to determine which factors contributed to these accidents. A questionnaire was developed and administered using a cross-sectional approach among 3000 persons living in 5 different areas of Trinidad. The collected data were analysed using SPSS version 22, t-test and multivariate analysis. Of the 2998 respondents, at least 572 (19.1%) had been involved in one or more road collisions. While only 46.7% of respondents always wore seat belts, approximately 93% believed strongly that their use was essential for safety—a 3-fold increase in that found in a previous study. The multiple regression analysis indicated that attitude and age were significantly associated with accidents and increased risk for accidents. The results showed that alcohol consumption, use of mobile phones while driving, speed, and age were significantly (p > 0.001) associated with accidents. In conclusion, most respondents were aware of traffic laws and regulations, but their knowledge and practice often diverged. However the improvement in attitude to seat-belt wearing suggests that a holistic driver education program may improve driver practice and adherence to the road traffic regulations in Trinidad.

A Questionnaire-based Assessment of the Anxiety, Satisfaction and Discomfort Experienced by Japanese Cancer Patients during the Use of Central Venous Ports.

Objective A significant number of Japanese cancer patients refuse to have central venous (CV) ports implanted. The aim of this study is to investigate the experiences of patients prior to and after CV port implantation, as well as their expectations regarding the use of CV ports. Methods This study was carried out at Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases from October 20, 2014, to January 16, 2015. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers, and various statistical analyses were performed. Results Among the 50 patients who participated in this study, the CV port was implanted due to poor venous access in 18 (36%). The proportion of patients who were anxious before the port implantation was significantly higher among the patients in whom CV ports were implanted due to poor venous access than among those in whom CV ports were implanted for other reasons. All patients exhibited high satisfaction levels, regardless of the reason for CV port implantation. CV port-related discomfort was most commonly associated with seat belts. Conclusion The patients exhibited high satisfaction levels regardless of the reason for CV port implantation. However, the patients that exhibited poor venous access often experienced anxiety before the implantation of the port, so it is important to provide such patients with sufficient information prior to port implantation. In order to improve the quality of life of patients with CV ports, medical staff should give special consideration to discomfort experienced by patients that are wearing seat belts.

Resuscitation of Polytrauma Patients - An Overview

Trauma is considered as the sixth leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in 10%of all deaths or five million died annually. It is the fifth leading cause of significantdisability. About half of trauma deaths are in people aged between 15 and 45 years and is theleading cause of death in this age group. Mechanism o traumacanbeclassifiedasmechanical,physicalandchemicalaccordingtothesourceofenergy. Traumainducedhemorrhageaccountsforthelargestproportionofmortalitywithinthefirsthouroftrauma,Moreover,hemorrhageinducedhypotension in trauma patients is predictive of greater than 50% mortality.Assessmentand resuscitation of Polytrauma patient begins before the event by prophylactic measurements,at the site of event, during transport (pre hospital phase 50% immediate deathofpatients)and in emergency room. Trauma care in the 1970s is the start of Advanced Trauma Life Support(ATLS) course, and thegoldenhoursoftrauma care has been based on an organized approachthat aims to manage life threatening injuries. This ABCDE and trauma team approach can beapplied to all critically injured patients and the goal of resuscitation is to restore organperfusion. Resuscitation of Polytrauma patients should depend mainly on ATLS guidelinesand Prophylactic measures should be respected to avoid the event e.g. wearing seat belt,helmet and controlling the speed of vehicles etc. The Role of ER team include TMT (Triagefor Polytrauma, Management means life saving interventions, ABCDE approach, Transfer for definitive care)

Why wear a seat belt? I’m going to die anyway: Young Arab men’s rationales for deadly driving behaviors

Safe driving campaigns in Qatar are in their infancy. The first campaigns were fear appeals that typically involved pictures of vehicles that had been smashed almost beyond recognition in accidents posted on signs around the capital city, Doha. A second generation of campaigns has recently been developed that are also fear appeal based, but feature more sophisticated messaging and visuals than the first group did. While laudable in their goals, both set of campaigns are not based on either a theoretical framework or research on the target audience. Evaluation research on the specific campaigns has not been conducted making assessment of message efficacy difficult. Even if the campaigns have had some effectiveness, 18-25 year old Qatari men, our target audience, continue to be the highest risk group, involved in a disproportionate number of MVCs, suggesting the campaigns are not working for this cohort at all. One of the common reasons message campaigns fail to have the intended effect is the lack of correspondence between the message content, form and design and the audience’s attitudes and beliefs (Yzer, 2012). The stronger the match is between the message and the audience, the higher the likelihood of persuasion. Creating a message that is closely tailored an audience requires an understanding of the way they think and are likely to respond to messages. We conducted focus group discussions with 18-25 year old Qatari male drivers to discover their driving attitudes and behaviors to provide guidance for tailored message campaigns designed to change their attitudes and behavior. We discovered that the perceived capability of actually changing one’s behavior is seriously impeded by a couple of characteristics our respondents shared and that they typically engage in quite risky driving behaviors. The two characteristics our respondents reported are fatalism and high sensation seeking. Fatalism is a belief that what happens to a person is not as a result from their own behaviors but rather is caused by an entity higher that them, typically God, but non-religious people can nonetheless still have high levels of fatalism (Shen &amp; Condit, 2012). A high level of fatalism presents a challenge to message campaigns because the message recipients, who believe they do not have control over their own fate, may reject the desired behavioral change. High sensation seeking increases the resistance to a more negative attitude toward reckless driving – because it is rewarded by both the psychological pleasure derived from dangerous actions and by young men’s peers. Driving at excessive speeds and refusing to wear seat belts are some of the high-risk behaviors our respondents reported. The combination of fatalism and high sensations seeking coupled with routine engagement in risky driving behaviors makes our respondents a particularly difficult group in which to inspire behavioral change. Message campaigns must take these factors into account to increase their likelihood of success and decrease the high MVC rates that are taking too many young lives in Qatar.

Analysis of facial injuries requiring ophthalmological care due to frontal vehicle collisions

Motor vehicle collisions are responsible for a large number of ocular injuries. Although ocular injuries require an early ophthalmological examination at the time of trauma to detect any type of ocular dysfunction, some ophthalmological abnormalities are not detected after the facial injury owing to failure of referral ophthalmologists. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of requiring ophthalmological care by evaluating the patterns and severity of ocular and severe facial injuries from real-world vehicle collisions in Japan. We collected data on vehicle passengers with any facial injuries who were involved in frontal collisions. Data were obtained from in-depth data records from the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA), Japan from 1993 to 2005. Collision information and victims’ medical data were reviewed. The 226 victims had a mean age of 33.3 ± 14.9 years with an equivalent barrier speed of 35.2 ± 13.0 km/h. Thirty (13.3%) victims suffered ocular injury or fractures in the upper or middle face (OIFF). Victims with OIFF had a significantly higher severity of injuries, especially in the face and lower extremities, and suffered from a higher speed of collisions than those without OIFF (p&lt;0.001). Victims wearing seat belts had a significantly lower prevalence of having OIFF than those not wearing seat belts. Most of the victims with OIFF (29/30) were involved in collisions without deployment of airbags. To prevent severe ocular injuries, correct use of seat belts with airbag deployment is required. Additionally, the present study enhances that more victims with OIFF are cared for by ophthalmologists immediately after the collision, improving their quality of life and preventing conflicts owing to inadequate medical management.

Assessment of road safety knowledge and practices among undergraduates in a medical college in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu.

On any given day, almost 3400 people die globally due to road traffic accidents. The global status report from WHO in 2013 estimates that in India alone approximately 231,000 people are killed due to RTAs yearly. The majority of the victims are unfortunately children, elderly and innocent pedestrians. Due to these astonishing numbers, in 2014 the UN General Assembly, in union with a dozen countries, adopted a resolution of “Improving global road safety”. The aim of this study is to assess the basic road safety knowledge and practices among the youth in a medical college in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu. The data was collected through a cross sectional study using a semi structured questionnaire which was distributed to around 300 medical students. The data collected was then analyzed using standard statistical tests through SPSS. Of the 300 students, around 170 (56.6%) were female and 130 (43.3%) were males. All students were in the age range of 20-25 years. Overall safety awareness was more among the male population (76%) as compared to the female (70%). Majority (73%) of the participants also had a decent knowledge of safe road practices such as maintaining speed limits, wearing seat belts, waiting in zebra crossings, observing traffic signals and road signs. Majority (72%) also knew that talking, listening to loud music can be distracting during driving and driving under the influence can be fatal. However, approximately 40% of these same students admitted that they don’t put their knowledge to use and frequently fail to practice proper road safety. Thus, this study illustrates the need not only to provide education about road safety but to provide training and instigate stronger roles of local governments to implement these safer road practices. Only then can we effectively reduce the occurrence and morbidity of RTAs.

Strategies for prevention of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Pakistan: situational analysis.

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are one of the leading causes of death among productive age group. Using systems approach framework (SAF), current preventive strategies for RTI control were reviewed in Pakistan. A review of the literature was done using four international search engines. Only ten studies on preventive strategies for RTI stemming from Pakistan were found. The first Road Traffic Injuries Research Network (RTIRN) surveillance system for road traffic injuries was established in urban city (Karachi) in Pakistan has shown promise for injury control and should be scaled up to other cities. Enforcement of traffic laws on seat-belt and helmet wearing is poor. National Highway and Motorway Police Ordinance (2000) was one of the few legislative measure so far taken in Pakistan. Using SAF, efforts are required to implement interventions targeting human, vehicle design and also making environment safer for road users.

Risky Driving Behaviours among Medical Students in Erbil, Iraq.

This study aimed to assess risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil, Iraq, and to explore the relationship between risky driving behaviours and perceptions of risky driving. This self-administered questionnaire-based survey was conducted from January to May 2014 among a random sample of 400 medical students at Hawler Medical University in Erbil. The questionnaire was designed to assess the frequency of engagement in 21 risky driving behaviours, the perceived risk of each behaviour and the preference for each behaviour as ranked on a 5-point scale. A total of 386 students responded to the survey (response rate: 96.5%). Of these, 211 reported that they currently drove a vehicle (54.7%). Drivers most frequently engaged in the following behaviours: playing loud music (35.9%), speeding (30.4%), allowing front seat passengers to not wear seat belts (27.9%) and using mobile phones (27.7%). Least frequent driving behaviours included not stopping at a red light (3.9%), driving while sleepy (4.4%), driving after a mild to moderate intake of alcohol (4.5%) and drunk driving (6.4%). Mean risky driving behaviour scores were significantly higher among males (P <0.001) and those who owned a car (P = 0.002). The mean risk perception score was higher among >20-year-olds (P = 0.028). There was a significant positive relationship between the preference for risky behaviours and risky driving behaviours (beta = 0.44; P <0.001). Medical students in Erbil reported high frequencies of several serious risky driving behaviours. The preference for risky behaviours was found to be an important predictor of risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil.

Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities in States With Primary Versus Secondary Seat Belt Laws: A Time-Series Analysis.

Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) remain a leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States. Primary seat belt laws allow vehicle occupants to be ticketed solely for not wearing seat belts, and secondary laws allow ticketing only for failure to wear seat belts in the setting of other violations. To determine the association between MVC fatality rates and primary versus secondary seat belt laws. Retrospective time-series analysis. United States, 2001 to 2010. MVC fatalities in occupants aged 10 years or older identified in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Population-based rates of fatal crashes. There were 283 183 MVC fatalities in occupants aged 10 years or older from 2001 to 2010 (overall rate, 13.0 per 100 000 persons). In 2001, the mean fatality rate was 14.6 per 100 000 persons, 16 states had primary seat belt laws, and 33 states had secondary laws. In 2010, the mean fatality rate was 9.7 per 100 000 persons, 30 states had primary seat belt laws, and 19 states had secondary laws. In the multivariate regression model, states with primary seat belt laws had lower MVC fatality rates than states with secondary laws (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.78 to 0.90]). Only fatalities were analyzed from the database, and the degree of law enforcement could not be ascertained. States with primary seat belt laws had lower rates of MVC fatalities than those with secondary laws. Adoption of primary seat belt laws may offer optimal occupant protection. None.

Seat belt use and fit among drivers aged 75 years and older in their own vehicles

ABSTRACTObjective: This article aims to describe seat belt wearing patterns and quality of seat belt fit among drivers aged 75 years and older. A secondary aim is to explore associations between body shape, comfort, and seat belt use patterns.Methods: This is an observation and survey study of a cohort of 380 drivers aged 75 years and over. During home visits, photographs were taken of the drivers in their vehicles for later analysis of belt fit and a short survey was also administered to collect demographic data and information about seat belt use and comfort. Seat belt fit and use of belt and seat accessories were analyzed from the photographs.Results: Data from 367 participants with photographs were analyzed. Whereas 97% reported using a seat belt and 90% reported their seat belt to be comfortable, 21% reported repositioning their seat belt to improve comfort. Good sash and lap belt fit were achieved in 53 and 59% of participants, respectively, but only 35% achieved overall good fit. Both poor sash and lap belt fit were observed in 23% of participants. Drivers who were in the obese category had over twice the odds (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–4.1) of having a poor lap belt fit than those in the normal body mass index [BMI] range, and drivers who were overweight had 1.8 times the odds (95% CI, 1.1–2.9) of having poor lap belt fit. Older females also had twice the odds (95% CI, 1.3–3.5) of poor lap belt fit compared to older males, regardless of BMI. Sash belt fit did not vary significantly by BMI, stature, or gender. However older drivers who reported that they had not made any adjustments to the D-ring height had 1.7 times the odds of having poor sash belt fit than those who made adjustments (1.2–2.9). Females were 7.3 times more likely to report comfort problems than males (95% CI, 3.2, 16.3) but there was no association between reported comfort and BMI or seat belt fit. Drivers who reported comfort problems had 6 times the odds (3.2–13.6) of also reporting active repositioning of the belt.Conclusions: The results suggest that older drivers face challenges in achieving comfortable and correct seat belt fit. This may have a negative impact on crash protection. Belt fit problems appear to be associated with body shape, particularly high BMI and gender. There is a need for further investigation of comfort accessories; in the interim, older drivers and occupants should be encouraged to use features such as D-ring adjusters to improve sash belt fit.

Driving in the fasting month of Ramadan: An observational study on speeding, horn honking, and using seat belts

The aim of this study was to examine how Ramadan, i.e., fasting month for believers of Islam, was associated to observable driving behaviours (i.e., speeding, horn honking, and using seat belts) as compared to non-Ramadan. Observations on speeding, horn honking, and using seat belts were held during and after Ramadan in different times of the day in the same region of the city of Ankara. Speeds of 1885 vehicles were measured by hand held radar on a two-way eight-lane road with a 50km/h speed limit. Horn honking was recorded at a signalised intersection with a hidden camera when the light turned into green in terms of 510 traffic light cycles. Seat belt wearing of 2106 drivers was observed at the same intersection. Findings indicated that (a) mean speed was lower, (b) honked horns were higher, and (c) seat belt use was lower in Ramadan as compared to non-Ramadan, though each negative driving behaviour was prevalent in both periods. Thus this study showed that the Ramadan period had a limited role on speeding, horn honking, and using seat belts.